Monday, November 14, 2011

Concept maps are a great way to bolster your understanding of human anatomy and physiology.

They're easy . . . concept maps are merely simple sketches that summarize the elements of a concept. Concept maps can also show how different concepts relate to each other.

By drawing out a concept, you are arranging ideas in the way that your mind works. It's how you picture an idea, not how your teacher or your textbook author visualizes that idea. Therefore, it makes the concept easy for you to understand and remember.

As you construct a concept map, you may run into spots where you're not quite sure how things fit together. That's great! This shows you where your "weak spot" is with the concept . . . something you may not have discovered until you faced it in a test. But when you face it in a concept map, you can stop and figure it out. You can even take your map to your instructor, your tutor, or your study group and ask for help in figuring it out. Then you'll "own" the concept and will not likely forget it.

Because it's a picture of a concept, a concept map helps you recall a concept easily. You'll have the concept stored in your mind as a picture that makes sense to you. Memory experts tell us that pictures of concepts help us recall those concepts.

If you are primarily a visual learner or kinesthetic learner (or both), then concept maps may become a favorite (and efficient) way of learning A&P!

However, if you've never made a concept map, it may be hard to figure out where to start . . . HOW to start. So here's a short video that shows you an easy way to get started . . .

Saturday, October 15, 2011

OK, that's not literally true. As far as we know, cells are not conscious and therefore do not love or hate anything. But they sure act like they do!

Think about it. All living cells have Na-K pumps that pump Na+ out while at the same time pump K+ in. When Na+ leaks into the cell, out it goes. Likewise, when K+ leaks out of a cell, it's pumped back in.

As far as cells are concerned, Na+ is like a rattlesnake and thus is repulsive and must be gotten rid of when it sneaks in. And K+ is like a puppy that the must be brought in and cuddled. Should K+ escape to the cold, cruel world outside a cell, it should be brought back inside and cuddled.

Knowing these facts about sodium and potassium ions is useful to A&P students. Why? Because it helps explain where these ions are likely to be found in the human body:

If you're looking for Na+, look in the solution outside the cell (extracellular fluid). You won't find much Na+ inside the cell, because it is continually pumped out of the cell.

If you are looking for K+, don't look in the extracellular fluid. You'll find very little K+ there. Most of the K+ will be inside the cell (intracellular fluid).

The fact that there are these sodium and potassium ion concentration gradients help explain the concept of membrane voltage (membrane potential). This idea, then, is the foundation of understanding nerve impulses and muscle stimulation.

During a nerve impulse, Na+ rushes into the nerve cell because of the concentration gradient described above (most of the sodium is outside the cell). This gives the membrane a temporary inside-positive charge… and that's what a nerve impulse is. The normal membrane voltage is restored quickly when K+ is allowed to rush out of the nerve cell, thus moving the net positive charge to the outside of the cell membrane.

All living cells have calcium pumps that pump calcium out of the cell. Some calcium pumps also pump calcium into sacks (the smooth ER). To a cell, Ca++ is like a cobra. When it leaks into a cell, and it will, it is pumped out quickly or pushed into a sack.

Knowing this fact about calcium ions is useful for understanding many different concepts in A&P.

For example, muscle fibers pump calcium ions out of the plasma membrane (sarcolemma) and into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR, a form of smooth ER). When the muscle membrane is stimulated (see the paragraphs above), the Ca++ comes rushing into the intracellular fluid from the SR and/or from the extracellular fluid. Ca++ immediately binds to the cytoskeleton, which then produces muscle contraction.

A similar thing happens at the end of a neuron when a nerve impulse (see the paragraphs above) gets to its farthest distance and permits Ca++ to flow into the cell. The Ca++ binds to the cytoskeleton and thereby triggers the movement of vesicles filled with neurotransmitter. These vesicles crash into the plasma membrane and release neurotransmitters by exocytosis, thus allowing them to signal another cell.

Ca++ gradients are also key to understanding how many hormones trigger their target cells. It even helps explain some of the functions of sperm cells and egg cells during human reproduction.

So you can see that this idea of cells hating sodium and calcium ions and loving potassium ions comes in pretty handy when trying to understand many of the concepts of human physiology.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

My friend Ellen recently sent along this video with the snappy tune Bloodmobile. This song from They Might Be Giants summarizes the main functions of the blood . . . a very timely topic for those of you at the beginning of your A&P 2 course.

While we're on a cardiovascular theme, you may recall seeing my previous post Pump Your Blood that features the classic song of the same name that has been used by countless A&P students to learn the path of blood through the heart.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

As you begin studying the structure and function of the human body, you'll find that you need to be thoroughly familiar with the terminology used in anatomy to describe directions and orientation.

It may seem overwhelming at first, but it's a necessary step in learning everything else in anatomy. It's like knowing north from south and east from west when beginning a course in geography.

Extra time and effort spent to learn anatomical directions and orientation at the beginning of the course will make most of the next semester or two . . . and beyond into other courses and your career . . . go way more smoothly. Really. It's hard to see that now, I know. But trust me!

Besides your learning in the lab and lecture course, and working through your textbook and lab manual, you may find this FREE mini-course to be helpful. It's called simply Anatomical Directions and it's provided as a free service from Insight Medical Academy. It requires a free registration to use the course, so be sure to register before trying to access the course. Here's a brief video explaining how the free course works.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

OK, I'm not talking about sleeping during your A&P class. That kind of sleeping hurts your ability to learn A&P.

Although we've known about this for a long time, recent research in mice adds to the evidence that a session of uninterrupted sleep helps you learn things. Here's a link to a brief, easy-to-understand explanation of the research: my-ap.us/ne2WaP

What this means is that you should make great effort to get a good night's sleep every day that you study A&P. That means sleeping well on nights that follow your lectures, labs, and study sessions. Or even better: getting a good night's sleep every night!

Yeah, I know . . . there are all kinds of things that interrupt your sleep. What I'm saying is that it's important to reduce those interruptions as much as possible. It may mean that you need to get others in your life "on board" with your learning goals, as I explained in a recent post. It may mean changing your schedule around a bit.

A lot of folks don't really have good sleep habits . . . at that prevents them from sleeping well. Which prevents them from learning well. There are a lot of resources for learning good sleep habits, so if you have trouble sleeping well you should do a bit of research or find some professional help.

Besides helping you learn, good sleep habits also help you stay awake during class . . . no matter how boring your professor is! Regular, uninterrupted sleep also helps you stay healthy and live a longer, happier life!

My A&P students are always looking for ways to help them remember things. So here's something that's easy: just make sure you get a good night's sleep!

Here's a short video on good sleep hygiene using tips from the CDC and acted out by students at Miami University.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

I just ran across a short video in which "listening expert' Julian Treasuresummarizes five easy ways to become a better listener.

He also points out why listening is important and why it's a skill that, as a culture, we are losing. And perhaps more importantly for our quest for success in our anatomy & physiology course, he mentions why good listening skills are important for students.

I see so many students "out of focus" and "out of tune" with what is happening in the A&P lecture and lab. So I know that good listening skills are not common in today's students. This video will help make you a better student!

Mr. Treasure also talks about having the"listening position" appropriate to the kind of listening in which we are engaged.

He sums up with a quick acronym, RASA, that helps us remember some key points in listening effectively:

Friday, May 20, 2011

If you've wrapped up your A&P course, you may think you no longer need advice, tips, and shortcuts from this blog.

But you'd be wrong!

As I mentioned in a previous article (my-ap.us/is1Wa6), this is just the beginning of a lifetime of using A&P! I suggest staying tuned in to this blog because you can continue to benefit from most, if not all, future articles as you struggle through your professional training and the continuing education that is required of working health professionals.

An easy way to keep up with this blog is by signing up for the FREE email updates using the form at the right of the blog page or at theapstudent.feedblitz.com

And while I have your attention, I'd like to make my usual end-of-semester plea:

Do NOT sell, give away, recycle, or burn your A&P textbook!

Really, I mean it! You will regret it if you do. You're going to need it as you progress through future studies and into your practice as a health professional. See my advice at my-ap.us/mhYggB

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

In several previous articles, I mentioned that the first step in learning the concepts of anatomy and physiology successfully is to learn the language. You need to master the terminology before you can begin to understand the ideas.

And in many of those previous articles, I pointed out that learning new terms--even a huge number of new terms--can be fast and easy if you simply practice, practice, practice. Every day. Several times a day. But just a few minutes at a time.

And an easy way to practice is using flashcards. Flashcards can be either traditional paper 3"x5" index cards or any of the many computer-based variations of the flashcard technique.

Recently, a reader of this blog recommended another of the web-based varieties of flashcards. It's called Word Stash it's a great FREE tool that's very easy to use.

It gives you several options to create word lists, using previously used definitions from a database or using definitions that you write or copy from your course materials.

If you tell your A&P professor about Word Stash, they can create a "class" and load in word lists from their course. Or your study group or tutor can create a "teacher account" and create a list that is shared by anyone who is part of that class.

I created a class called, you guessed it, The A&P Student . . . and loaded in a word list to show you how it works. Join this "class" to see how Word Stash works:

Monday, March 28, 2011

Put simply, running concept lists are a set of lists, each list relating to a single concept, that you update continually as you learn more about each concept. They are easy to make and to maintain. And they are very handy tools for learning new concepts . . . or for reviewing old concepts.

But they are even more helpful for learning the connections between concepts . . . thus developing your critical thinking skills!

Concept lists are also called connection pages because they help you see connections.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

I know this sounds like a dopey question, but I'll ask it anyway . . .

Why are you taking this course in anatomy and physiology?

Based on my experience of decades teaching A&P, I've found that all too many students can only answer, "because it's required."

An answer that is much better for the student is, "to learn the concepts of human structure and function that I will need in later courses and in a lifetime career in a health or sports career."

Really, the A&P course is required of you for a reason. It's not simply to jump through a hoop. Or to weed out the weak students. The reason is simple. You cannot fully understand, or even begin to understand, many of the concepts you'll run into later without a thoroughly embedded understanding of the principles of human anatomy and physiology. Period.

If you pick up ANY textbook from a course in the health professions, you will find references to human anatomy and physiology principles scattered throughout. Many such textbooks will even refer to "what you learned in your anatomy and physiology course," sometimes providing a quick review before jumping into a more complicated topic. If you fail to learn your A&P now, then those quick reviews won't be just a review, will they? They'll be a warning sign that you are about to get into something you are not prepared for!

So why do I ask this question? And propose a "correct" answer?

Because if you get on board with the "correct answer" now, you'll dramatically change how you study A&P . . . for the better!

The sooner you realize that you'll need all of these concepts to be successful in your later learning--and in your ongoing career--the sooner you will realize that studying for the test just won't cut it. You have to shift out of the short-term view and start thinking about learning for a lifetime.

Instead of cramming just before a test, to learn some facts that will stay with you for only a few hours, you'll study every day so that you'll never forget what you are learning. You'll continually review material from previous topics because you'll notice them coming up again and again.

With the long view, you'll also start working on understanding relationships among the various principles you are learning. You'll begin to see why it's important to know the basic principles deeply because it makes everything you encounter in human science more understandable and thus easier to learn.

Not to scare you, but a conversation I recently had with some teachers in a health-professions program confirmed again for me the fact that you will fail your professional courses if you don't remember most of your A&P.

Isn't that a good reason to evaluate how you approach your studies in A&P?

[Need some help in finding ways to learn more deeply? Besides asking your A&P professor for advice, why not try the tips I offer my students at the Lion Den Tips & Tools?]

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Also known as mind maps, these tools are simply a way to visualize a concept.

Concept maps are diagrams that related different elements of a concept to each other and/or to the main idea. These diagrams can be simple or complex—depending on your own style of learning and what helps you understand the concept.

If you haven't bothered to learn about them before, you may want to reconsider this powerful tool.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Do you struggle with balancing the time and effort it takes to succeed in A&P with the time and effort you'd rather be devoting to family, friends, or your partner?

Welcome to the club! This is a common issue in rigorous, time-consuming courses like anatomy and physiology.

A&P is a foundational course, one that you really cannot skimp on because the whole rest of your training and your career rests on success in learning the concepts of A&P thoroughly. But then again, you need your personal relationships to succeed, too!

As early in your studies as possible, take some quality time with those close to you to bring them on board with your commitment to doing well in A&P. Explain to them what your career goals are and how success in achieving those goals may benefit them as well. If for no other reason than they love and support you. But sometimes, career success may bring many other rewards to family and spousal relationships.

After they are on board with your careers goals, make it clear how hard--and how time-consuming--some of the steps along the way are going to be. Explain how success in A&P is a critical first step . . . a step that will be particularly draining and time-consuming.

After explaining the sacrifices that you'll be making--the great effort that you'll be putting into success--ask them if they are willing to help support you by giving you the time you need. Explain that by doing so, each of them will be part of your team.

Assuming that those who love you want to be part of your team, work together to find specific ways they can help you. The more that they can come up with on their own, the more ownership they will take in their part of the team effort.

Here are some examples your team may come up with:

Trying not to pester you when you study

Taking over one or more of your household/farm/yard/work chores

Not giving you grief when you have to occasionally reduce your fun time with them

Agreeing to occasionally help you with your studying (like quizzing you with flash cards)

Acting as a child sitter or backup child sitter when you need to go to

class

participate in study sessions

get help from your professor

visit the library or learning center

have time alone to study

Such a discussion, if handled well, can go far in helping you balance things in your life while you tackle A&P . . . by bringing your loved ones on board early and making them part of the process.

Something that is especially helpful for families, couples, or friendships, is to work together to compose a pledge that you can hang on your refrigerator or keep in your notebook. This pledge would state the kinds of support that you can expect. And your pledge to be mindful of their efforts and your intent to be appreciative. When things get tough, it may help diffuse the frustration by calmly renewing your mutual pledge.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Sometimes newfangled technology products really do revolutionize how we learn. One of the newer, niftier learning aids is the set ofSmartpens offered by Livescribe.

Smartpens are pens that record both sound and what you write as you use it.

For example, you can turn on the Smartpen as your A&P class begins, then record the professor and student discussion as you write your notes.

After class, all you have to do is tap on a part of your notes to replay the audio that goes with it! Or you can replay the whole class! If you are using the earbuds that come with the pen, you could also replay a part of the class that you want to replay.

If you want to, you can then dock your Smartpen in a small USB penholder that comes with your Smartpens to upload the recording to your Livescribe library.

Once a recording is in your library, you can upload it to the Livescribe site as a pencast. You can then review the pencast any time you like. You can keep your pencasts private or you can share them publicly.

This is a great way to replay an entire class to review it . . . or to go back to a part of the class that puzzles you so you can replay your note taking while the voices of your professor and classmates are also replayed. What a great way to review your newly learned A&P concepts!

If you use the Smartpen to record others, make sure you have their permission first. Not all professors permit their classes to be recorded. And test out the volume settings and your location in the room to get the best recording.

Here is a simple example of a pencast that quickly summarizes one concept in A&P.

A great study project for your A&P study group would be to produce pencasts like this example and post them to share with the whole class!

To use the Smartpen you have to use the special paper that comes with the pen. Livescribe also provides a file that allows you to print the special paper on your computer printer. However, I prefer to use the inexpensive notebooks available from Livescribe.

This video briefly summarizes the concept of the Smartpen and how you can use it to improve learning.

If you already have some pencasts for A&P that you've posted for public viewing, why not post the link here? Just "comment" on this blog article and include the link.

Friday, January 28, 2011

I recently saw a story about one of the newest Google Labs creation: Body Browser. I immediately thought of how helpful this will be for A&P students.

The Body Browser is a FREE online tool that you can use to explore the anatomy of the human body in a "virtual dissection" format. Using the familiar Google Maps navigation tools, you can . . .

Peel (or fade) away layers of the body . . . removing the skin, then muscles, then bones, to reveal the internal organs

Select systems (skeletal, muscular, nervous, cardiovascular) to view

Click on any structure to show its label

Type the name of any structure in the search box to find it in the body

Tilt, zoom, turn the body to a variety of positions to see organs in more views that usually available in a textbook, atlas, or chart

The Body Browser runs inside any WebGL-enabled browser, meaning that you don't have to worry about having the latest Flash or Java plugins installed.

I think Body Browser a is a great FREE tool for A&P students to have access to an online model of the human body that can be used for a beginning study of anatomy. Because it allows the user to type in the names of organs for which they are looking, you can be certain it will work well with what you need to know for your course.

The only available specimen is female (that is, there is no male specimen available to complement the female specimen)

The specimen is partially clothed. Although one can see some of the underlying surface structures as the "skin" layer fades back, it's not the same as seeing these structures clearly. An odd feature that makes certain regions of the body "off limits." (I've seen some hacks to fix this, but none of them work for me using the Chrome browser)

Some of the organs are roughly rendered, so it's not as detailed (at least in some areas) as you may like to see

Only a few systems can be shown in entirety. Some useful system views that are missing are the lymphatic system and the respiratory system

You cannot select or hide individual organs for display

I could find no documentation or even a help button (pretty typical of the experimental Google Labs resources)

Even with some minor limitations, Body Browser is still a fantastic learning and study tool. As an A&P student, you might use Body Browser as . . .

a study tool during a solo or study group session to demonstrate the location and structure of specific organs

you could use it live or you could record a session with Jing or similar recording tool and use the pre-recorded exploration to review or to share with others in your study group or class

you can send the URL of a specific view (perhaps with a label) to a student or group of students or post it to Facebook, Twitter, or a class website

alternative lab model to use along with physical models in the lab

use it as a reference side by side with your lab manual and your laboratory model

use it in place of a laboratory model when studying at home or away from the lab

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Understanding anatomy and physiology often begins with building a foundation of basic terminology and identification of structures by name and location. Yikes, that means memorization.

A lot of folks dread memorization tasks because they simply don't know how to do it in a quick, pain-free manner. Once you know the tricks of memorization, it's not that bad.

The essential trick is to practice, practice, practice.

That means every day, several times a day, if possible.

However, this will only work if you spend just a few minutes at a time practicing. If you try to get in all in one long session, it won't work . . . or at least least is won't work very well. In fact, the "long session approach" can sometimes burn you out so badly, it'll be hard to make yourself study the same topic again.

One of the easiest ways to practice painlessly is to make and use flashcards. I have a previous blog post and a study tip web page and even a YouTube video devoted to methods of using flashcards to study A&P effectively.

My friend Monica Hall-Woods (another A&P professor) reminded me recently of a website called Quizlet.com where you can easily make a set of flashcards online (for FREE) and use it to study and to quiz yourself. In fact, Quizlet.com gives you some alternative methods to quiz yourself, including some fun, game-like activities.

The more practice sessions you do on Quizlet.com, the more you'll almost effortlessly pick up the basic facts that you are trying to learn. Quizlet.com helps you keep track of what you've studied and how you are doing.

You can also upload photos from Flikr.com . . . which means that you can take photos of your lab specimens with your smartphone, then upload the images into a set of flashcards!

Another great feature of Quizlet.comis that you can form study groups. This allows one or more users to post and share sets of flashcards related to a particular topic.

Quizlet.com also lets you use flashcard stacks that others have created. (Warning: be careful those you use are accurate before using them to study.) Here's a stack of cards that I created simply by cutting and pasting a list I already had into the Quizlet.com editor:

About Me

I've worked as an anatomy & physiology professor for several decades, having taught at high school, community college, and university levels. I write A&P textbooks and manuals. I am a President Emeritus of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) and a founder of HAPS Institute, a continuing education program for A&P professors. I have several blogs, websites, & a podcast related to teaching and learning. And in my youth I was a wild animal trainer.